Ranji Round-up: Siddharth Desai Misses Perfect Ten, Rohit, Gill, and Pant Are Left Out

There has been a lot of drama during the current Ranji Trophy season, including some unexpected performances and high-profile comebacks. Still, not all of it has had the intended effect. Players like Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and Rohit Sharma have had less-than-stellar returns to domestic cricket.

In the meantime, Siddharth Desai of Gujarat stole the show with a unique performance, although he could not accomplish an exceptional accomplishment. This is a summary of the most recent Ranji Trophy activity.

A Disappointing Conclusion to Rohit’s Return

Although Rohit Sharma’s comeback to the Ranji Trophy after almost a decade was eagerly awaited, things didn’t go nearly as planned.

Rohit scored three runs off 19 balls while batting for Mumbai against Jammu & Kashmir before being caught off a rising delivery from Umar Nazir. Follow betpro login for more latest sports news. 

His dismissal brought to mind his recent Test matches, where his technique was questioned after similar dismissals against Matt Henry at the Wankhede Stadium and Pat Cummins in Australia.

Following Yashasvi Jaiswal’s early dismissal, he left quickly. Despite Mumbai’s difficulties, they are still in the game because of some strong bowling.

The collective failure of Mumbai’s top-order overshadowed Rohit’s comeback to the domestic stage, as they were bowled out for just 120 in their opening innings. Shreyas Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane could not have much of an impact, scoring only 11 and 12 runs, respectively.

Rohit's return to the domestic system is noteworthy as part of the BCCI’s efforts to offer players additional playing time following India’s 3-1 setback in Australia earlier this year. 

Though he hasn’t formally retired, his leadership role is also doubtful after missing the Sydney Test; thus, his Test future is still in the air.

Punjab Collapse and Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill’s visit to Bengaluru was just as unmemorable. Only 55 runs were scored by the Punjab captain’s team, and Gill only made four runs before being removed. He nicked a ball behind and gave the goalie a straightforward catch, continuing his lousy play. The swing and seam bowlers severely damaged the Punjab batting order, particularly on the greenish Chinnaswamy deck.

This match was essential to Gill’s confidence recovery following a lackluster tour to Australia. Gill only managed 93 runs in five innings during the last Test series, and his performance abroad since the 2021 World Test Championship final has come under special scrutiny. His 18-inning average of 17.64 under unfamiliar circumstances begs where he fits into the team. 

They have a mountain to climb after Punjab’s catastrophic collapse, and they will now be looking to Gill for a spectacular performance to even remotely salvage a point.

The Brief Visit of Rishabh Pant to the Crease

Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant’s comeback to the home circuit in Rajkot was cut short. Dharmendrasinh Jadeja sacked him after only ten deliveries. His early exit contributed to Delhi’s top order collapsing, as they were dismissed for 188 runs. 

It was clear that Pant struggled against spin when Ravindra Jadeja, who was on a turner, took an incredible five wickets.

Delhi’s batting shortcomings put them in a vulnerable position, and Jadeja’s outstanding performance further highlighted his significance as a spinner in local cricket. 

Despite losing five wickets, including Cheteshwar Pujara’s, Saurashtra was only 25 runs behind at stumps in their reply. Pujara made a solid 234 against Chhattisgarh earlier in the season, but his performance in this game has been questionable since he only scored six runs in his opening innings.

The Near-Perfect Ten of Siddharth Desai

Siddharth Desai, a left-arm spinner for Gujarat, had one of the most impressive individual performances. Desai was only one wicket short of reaching a perfect 10, which Haryana’s Anshul Kamboj had only accomplished once this season in Ahmedabad. 

Desai finished with an incredible 9 for 36, the highest total ever for a Gujarat bowler in first-class cricket, after taking nine wickets in a single session. This feat surpassed Jasu Patel’s historic record of 8 for 21 against Saurashtra during the 1960–61 season.

Desai's outstanding performance is hardly surprising since he has been one of Gujarat’s main bowlers since Piyush Chawla left for Uttar Pradesh. 

His incredible feat solidified his position as Gujarat’s top-tier spinner, and his breakthrough nine-wicket haul against Kerala in 2017–18 was a preview of things to come.

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The First Five-for for Khaleel Ahmed

Last, the left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed put up a strong show against Vidarbha, taking his first-ever five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Karun Nair, playing well during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, was among the primary victims of his 5 for 37, which allowed the Vidarbha team to be easily defeated. 

Khaleel, who has long been on the periphery of the national team, achieved a significant milestone with this performance, particularly as selectors continue to look for left-arm seam options for India’s Test attack.

Khaleel just played in his 17th first-class match, but his strong performances in the Ranji and Duleep Trophy games this season have put him back on the radar for a possible comeback to the national team.